The Sanctuary is open 365 days a year and is where HIV/AIDS is accepted and understood. As well as the permanent residents the house also has a respite, daycare and home care support program. These programs ensure that our service users are in an environment that allows them to feel relaxed about their HIV status. Their health and diet are primary, many come from poor families where these issues cannot be priority. They can also access transport to hospital for important test, assessments and treatment.
A social worker and psychologist are available and the HIV Support Group meets regularly. HIV Support Group is very important, it is where as an HIV family, we can share issues, experiences and grief. Services address the needs of many aspects of our HIV community which includes children, teenagers, adults, HIV mums. They are given health and nutrition advice, access to vitamins and basic medication and are provided with counselling.
When the time comes to face the final stage of AIDS, for many of our service users this can mean lonely days in hospital, it can mean a struggle for the family to comes to terms and cope with the situation of losing their loved one. When there is nowhere else for them to turn to, Love Light Romania provides End of Life Care either at the Sanctuary or in their family home, attending to the needs of all the family members. In our experience, the life they lived with HIV may have been long or short, but often for many, there was always fear. Providing peace for a gentle and dignified death is very important.
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